Buddy Bison's Buzz - September 2013

Welcome back to school! Another exciting year is ahead of us and I can’t wait to explore parks with you. I have a great fall planned full of park experiences with students across the country. It’s a terrific time of year for hiking outside; there will be many different colors for you to see and the air is getting cooler. Remember to “Explore outdoors, the parks are yours!”

Your friend, Buddy Bison

Getting Close to Our Wild Neighbors

“I caught another one!” I heard this phrase a lot when the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City were catching toads on August 19th at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Galloway, NJ. They found a large population of American toads in the natural play area within the refuge. They also discovered many other New Jersey native species including fiddler crabs, great egrets, ospreys and many types of trees. Their travels took them through the forest, pond and wetland ecosystems. We had a great summer day exploring the refuge together; I know they created memories that will be treasured forever.

Dinatisy, a new environmentalist and park enthusiast from the Boys and Girls Club said, “I love it at this place right now, I never want to leave!” Don’t worry Dinatisy, these places are yours, you can go back anytime.

Our thanks to Caesars Entertainment Foundation and their local HERO volunteers for supporting this outdoor nature experience.

*Hey kids, catching cirtters can be really fun, but it is always important to return them to their natural habitat.

Brand New to the Buddy Bison Program

I am so happy to welcome four new schools into the Where’s Buddy Bison Been?® environmental education program this fall. I am working with their teachers to bring the outdoors into their science, reading, and history curriculum throughout the year. Here is a sneak-peek of where we will be going for our adventures:

Fair Oaks Elementary School will go to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Georgia.

Moss Point Elementary School will discover Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Mississippi.

Forest Elementary School will explore the Museum of Natural Science at LeFleur’s Bluff State Park in Mississippi.

South Central Elementary School (IN) will visit the Louisville Nature Center in Kentucky.

We are very grateful for the generous support from the Southern Charitable Foundation for our three new schools in Mississippi and Georgia and to Caesars Foundation for sponsoring our new school in Indiana.

Buddy Bison

Buddy Bison, our lovable woolly mascot encourages kids to explore outdoors, the parks are yours! Visit the Buddy Bison section of our site to learn more about our school program, and how you can get your own Buddy Bison and share your park adventures and photos. Did you know that proceeds from Buddy Bison sales help us get under-served kids to their local parks?